In response to a parliamentary question put to her by Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice on the restriction of cutting on bog sites, Minister Heather Humphreys said it is anticipated that turf cutting will be able to continue within blanket bog special areas of conservation but more sensitive areas will need to be avoided.

She said the aim is to have a workable system in place for the management of turf cutting on these areas, but added that it is unlikely the system will be introduced until 2017 at the earliest.

She attributed the two year wait to the need to consult local communities and carry out the necessary scientific work on the sites.

Deputy Fitzmaurice welcomed Humphrey's assertion that the new system will take into account the view of local communites and landowners and said "there is no reason people cannot work together constructively" on the issue.

The minister affirmed that she is "fully committed" to consultation on this issue and to working with the landowners.

The question was raised in the context of the government continuing with its policy of implementing the EU habitats directive and protecting habitats in special areas of conservation, including 50 special areas of conservation for the protection of blanket bog. Legal protections consistent with those set out in the habitats directive have applied to the sites since they were initially proposed for designation.

The habitats directive has been fully transposed into national law by means of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, as amended, and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011.